Thanks to a comment on here, I learned that Consumer Reports ran a combo test in 1960. I just got this May, 1960, issue today in the mail and read it with interest. I came away with some questions I hope the experts on here could answer for me.
1) Apparently there were widely varying drum sizes, with the Philco-Bendix being the smallest; CR said that their standard 8-pound load really was an overload but they ran it anyway. I noticed in the ratings, where it didn't do too badly, that it stated that this machine tangled clothing worse than any other machine tested. Would that be because they put too much in there to start with? Or was there some design defect in the tub that would cause this? I noticed that the Westinghouse combo didn't seem to suffer from the same problems that their washer was noted as having in 1960.
2) Some of the machines had 'automatic dry' capabilities, and some of the machines had only timed-drying ability. I know there weren't real electronic moisture sensors back then, so how did 'automatic dry' work? On temp alone?
3) The top-rated combo was the Lady Kenmore. It was noted that it had an 8000 btu dryer compared to 5000 btu for the others. However, it stated that for it to achieve this much hotter and faster drying, it required a 50 amp circuit. Apparently all the others required only 30, including the Whirlpool that was a virtual twin, but had 5000 btu capacity. They stated that the LK could be set for 30 amps instead of 50, thereby lowering its drying speed to that of the others. I have no idea--what amperage is required these days, and do most of our modern homes accommodate 50 amps?
4) A drawback stated for all these machines was the narrow range of acceptability for high-sudsing detergents. Oversudsing, it stated, would result in the laundry riding on top of the suds and not getting fully wet and laundered. However, they said that switching to a low-sudsing detergent would result in laundry not being cleaned as well. Is this is the experience of the experts on here? Of course, with the top loaders of the day the suds would've simply ridden above the laundry, as I remember my mama's machine doing so long ago.
5) I was amazed at the different levels of water used during the testing. It was because half of the machines were vented to the outside, and half used the condenser system. The vented machines seemed to average around 25 gallons total, whereas the condenser machines required around 60 gallons! My question-do today's condenser washer/dryer machines, as so many Euro countries use, require large amounts of water to work? The one machine listed as 'unacceptable' here was the Wards combo; it was vented but had no lint filter at all, and simply blew the lint out through the vent to the outside! They cautioned that the grass and any plants or shrubbery would soon be covered in lint...
6) They did test 3 gas dryer machines, stating all were vented. I've never owned a gas dryer; are they always vented?
7) Some of these machines had internal water heaters that would automatically kick in if the hot water source wasn't hot enough. Apparently they would continually watch the water temp and boost it through the whole cycle. Is that how internal water heaters work on today's front loaders?
8) There was a fascinating photo of the back of the Easy machine and the Philco-Bendix machine with the back covers off. It's hard to believe they're the same type of machine; the Easy has bunches of pulleys and belts, whereas the Philco-Bendix has an almost bare-looking cabinet with what looks like one belt, and a whole lot of open space at the bottom around the motor. I'd post the photo here but that's taboo. I'd hate to work on that Easy and apparently it wasn't the only one with that labyrinthine set of hardware. Do the experts on here find that the simpler design of the Westinghouse and the Philco-Bendix indeed allows for greater reliability along with easier service?
I apologize for the extreme length of this--it corresponds with my extreme ignorance of these fascinating machines. I've actually looked at modern combo units for my home, but I have a large utility room with space designed for separate machines. I worked for a physician 30+ years ago whose wife solved that problem by having two of the RCA Whirlpool combo side-by-side in their utility room. Lady didn't like transferring clothes...
Thank you for any information you can provide.[this post was last edited: 12/3/2017-05:10]
1) Apparently there were widely varying drum sizes, with the Philco-Bendix being the smallest; CR said that their standard 8-pound load really was an overload but they ran it anyway. I noticed in the ratings, where it didn't do too badly, that it stated that this machine tangled clothing worse than any other machine tested. Would that be because they put too much in there to start with? Or was there some design defect in the tub that would cause this? I noticed that the Westinghouse combo didn't seem to suffer from the same problems that their washer was noted as having in 1960.
2) Some of the machines had 'automatic dry' capabilities, and some of the machines had only timed-drying ability. I know there weren't real electronic moisture sensors back then, so how did 'automatic dry' work? On temp alone?
3) The top-rated combo was the Lady Kenmore. It was noted that it had an 8000 btu dryer compared to 5000 btu for the others. However, it stated that for it to achieve this much hotter and faster drying, it required a 50 amp circuit. Apparently all the others required only 30, including the Whirlpool that was a virtual twin, but had 5000 btu capacity. They stated that the LK could be set for 30 amps instead of 50, thereby lowering its drying speed to that of the others. I have no idea--what amperage is required these days, and do most of our modern homes accommodate 50 amps?
4) A drawback stated for all these machines was the narrow range of acceptability for high-sudsing detergents. Oversudsing, it stated, would result in the laundry riding on top of the suds and not getting fully wet and laundered. However, they said that switching to a low-sudsing detergent would result in laundry not being cleaned as well. Is this is the experience of the experts on here? Of course, with the top loaders of the day the suds would've simply ridden above the laundry, as I remember my mama's machine doing so long ago.
5) I was amazed at the different levels of water used during the testing. It was because half of the machines were vented to the outside, and half used the condenser system. The vented machines seemed to average around 25 gallons total, whereas the condenser machines required around 60 gallons! My question-do today's condenser washer/dryer machines, as so many Euro countries use, require large amounts of water to work? The one machine listed as 'unacceptable' here was the Wards combo; it was vented but had no lint filter at all, and simply blew the lint out through the vent to the outside! They cautioned that the grass and any plants or shrubbery would soon be covered in lint...
6) They did test 3 gas dryer machines, stating all were vented. I've never owned a gas dryer; are they always vented?
7) Some of these machines had internal water heaters that would automatically kick in if the hot water source wasn't hot enough. Apparently they would continually watch the water temp and boost it through the whole cycle. Is that how internal water heaters work on today's front loaders?
8) There was a fascinating photo of the back of the Easy machine and the Philco-Bendix machine with the back covers off. It's hard to believe they're the same type of machine; the Easy has bunches of pulleys and belts, whereas the Philco-Bendix has an almost bare-looking cabinet with what looks like one belt, and a whole lot of open space at the bottom around the motor. I'd post the photo here but that's taboo. I'd hate to work on that Easy and apparently it wasn't the only one with that labyrinthine set of hardware. Do the experts on here find that the simpler design of the Westinghouse and the Philco-Bendix indeed allows for greater reliability along with easier service?
I apologize for the extreme length of this--it corresponds with my extreme ignorance of these fascinating machines. I've actually looked at modern combo units for my home, but I have a large utility room with space designed for separate machines. I worked for a physician 30+ years ago whose wife solved that problem by having two of the RCA Whirlpool combo side-by-side in their utility room. Lady didn't like transferring clothes...
Thank you for any information you can provide.[this post was last edited: 12/3/2017-05:10]